National
SC upholds defamation law contested by Rahul, Kejriwal
New Delhi : The Supreme Court on Friday upheld the constitutional validity of India’s criminal defamation law that was contested by Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and BJP leader Subramanian Swamy.
The petitioners had argued that the criminal defamation law was in conflict with the freedom of speech and expression.
But the top court did not agree.
The bench of Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Prafulla C. Pant, while upholding the relevant sections of the Criminal Procedure Code and Indian Penal Code, notably Section 499 of the former and Section 500 of the civil law, said defamation doesn’t have any “chilling effect on freedom of speech”.
“It is not necessary for all in the chorus to sing the same song,” Justice Misra said, pronouncing the judgment.
A magistrate should be extremely careful in issuing summons on a plea for the initiation of any criminal defamation case, he said.
The verdict was reserved on August 13 last year after the court heard the matter for over a month.
Section 499 deals with words spoken or written by someone with the intention to harm the reputation of another. Section 500 deals with the possible sentence for defamation, which may be a simple imprisonment for a term up to two years, a fine or both.
The verdict assumes significance in the light of a host of defamation cases in the political spectrum, especially the one filed against Chief Minister Kejriwal by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
The RG Marathon Championship Run 2023 in Goa was a testament to inclusivity. Initially resistant to including persons with disabilities, it eventually featured wheelchair and standing categories, thanks to advocates’ efforts. Participants showed exceptional determination, emphasizing unity in diversity. Despite challenging weather, they demonstrated the power of community support, highlighting the need for accessibility and inclusion in all state-level events in Goa.
Following the marathon, a gathering of differently-abled individuals, predominantly wheelchair users, convened for a celebratory lunch at Barzilla. The event, orchestrated by Mr. Shariq Khan and Mr. Zain Aftab, proprietors of Barzilla, honored the birthday of Sadaf Fatima, who also uses a wheelchair and is Mr. Shariq Khan’s wife.
The lunch featured esteemed guests including the Tourism Minister of Goa, MLA Rohan Khaunte of Porvorim, Social Welfare Minister Subhash Phal Desai, and the State Commissioner for Persons with Disability in Goa, Guruprasad Pawaskar. The event was impeccably hosted by Ms. Falak Fatima and Mr. Adarsh Parashar, offering activities such as Karaoke and Billiards. The youth of Goa exhibited their unwavering support for the community, making the party an unequivocal success.
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